Although some may think our country unexpectedly turned into a car-loving nation, it was actually very strategically planned. With powerful automobile giants like GM, legislation, national security and a decline in city quality of living, cars and highways thrived and public transportation was short-handed.

It is a wonderful feeling to walk into a grocery store and see all the different fruits, vegetables, meats and cheeses. The options can be overwhelming, but exciting at the same time because I can eat oranges year-round or eat cheese made in France. But the reality of having oranges year-round is not all good. Transportation of products, for example, is a huge factor in pollution. Plus determining the quality of the food, tracing all of its origins and regulating the industry are concerns we must consider with the year-round access to products all over the world.

Think of those old quaint downtowns with the welcoming storefronts, wide sidewalks and everything within a short walking distance. Then think about why we rarely, if ever, see new development such as these; the reason in part is zoning. Zoning, changes in lifestyle and a growing middle class spurred changes to the way new cities and suburbs developed.